Aurora Victim’s Mom Calls McCain Town Hall ‘Appalling’

DAVID TAINTOR FEBRUARY 22, 2013, 6:10 AM

The mother of a young man killed in the Aurora, Colo. movie theater massacre told TPM on Thursday she was appalled at the way Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) handled her question about an assault weapons ban at a town hall event in Phoenix.

“I was very surprised that a senator, who has been in office for over 30 years, would address a grieving mother, who just lost her son exactly seven months prior — yesterday was the 20th, I lost my son on 7-20-2012 — to tell me that I needed ‘some straight talk,’” Caren Teves said by phone.

At Wednesday’s town hall, Teves told McCain that her son, Alex, was killed in the massacre, and she urged the senator to support a ban on assault weapons. McCain responded: “I can tell you right now you need some straight talk. That assault weapons ban will not pass the Congress of the United States.”

The crowd, many of whom appeared to be pro-gun, burst into cheers and applause at McCain’s comments. But Teves said she wasn’t fazed by that, and those cheers, as captured by a local TV news crew, were only part of the story.

1. McCain is a bully. He has been a bully for years. Nothing new there.

We had three instances of his bullying during the townhall: his berating of the RW idiot, the attacks against the reporter, and this comment. They are all the same thing. The only thing that is different is that he happens to be on the right side of the issue when it comes to immigration, but the phenomena is the same, and is the same we saw with Gregory last week-end. He is a bully.

5. Shit. McGrumpy

don't have time for the "little people". In his mind, I am sure he is saying "Fuck Her". Now if she was a big time "money contributor", then there would be a special investigation, of course it would all lead to Obama.

6. Very powerful article. Love this sentence:

Caren and Tom Teves, who live in Phoenix, said they have supported McCain in the past, including his last campaign. “I have voted Republican my whole life,” Tom Teves told TPM. “I’ll never vote Republican again — ever.”